


Beyond the Void

by wide_eyed



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Multi, Non Canon events, Romance, Scared and Alone, Secrets, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Warden Inquisitor, Will Add Tags As We Go, everyone thing she is, flemeths been meddling, fluff and eventual smut, keeping secrets, the slowest of burns, warden not dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 18:11:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13769712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wide_eyed/pseuds/wide_eyed
Summary: In an AU Grey Warden Evelyn Cousland didn’t die... though everyone thinks she did. With a new identity she has kept her head down these last ten years plagued with questions about why she lived when all she wanted was to do was die. Haunted by her past and unable to move on, she becomes caught up in the events following the conclave, what does fate have in store for her?





	Beyond the Void

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Trying my hand at a full length fic as had this idea in my head for a while! Updating as and when i can :) x
> 
> All characters/ in game dialogue etc etc the property of Bioware etc etc
> 
> ——————— Indicates break in story/perception change etc

Pain. Growing up I thought I knew what pain was. The bump of a knee, a graze bruised and bleeding, the sharp red slash as weapon meets flesh. Growing older I came to find that pain is not always flashy and bright. Sometimes it blooms like a flower in the dirt, a slow creeping vine that strangles the soul. Other times it is like a white mist creeping in and dulling the senses, numbing, leaving us isolated and alone. I had made a study of pain these last 10 years, cutting myself off from the world in an effort to remain safe. However nobody had not foreseen the events following the conclave.

———————

A red rose blooms in blighted earth, a small and fragile thing it grows bigger, brighter, beautiful. Crushed beneath marching feet as Mabari and Dragon unite, hope holds on until bathed in blighted blood the final blow falls. Flying and free the rose withers, now white. All the while the wolf looks on, eyes glowing red as a small voice whispers “wake up!”

Jolting awake Jenny started, recognition of her surroundings coming slowly. Hands to her head she began to recall the events of the past few days her dream drifting away like dust in the wind. The conclave, the breach, the death of the divine and the strange scar that pulsed with a foreign magic, last she recalled they had been trying to close a rift, she remembered reaching up towards the broken sky the magic in her palm calling up to its larger twin, a pulling, then pain; like a hundred thousand cuts against her skin, then a hundred thousand more, the feeling as though her very blood was boiling underneath her skin, her soul being ripped by its roots. It would have been so easy to have surrendered in that moment to give in to the pain and let go. She had done that once before... but at what cost? Never again. Pulling back with all her might, bones crunching she felt the moment the rift had closed, like two great keep doors slamming shut the force knocking her from her feet. And then nothing until now. It was at that moment she released she wasn’t alone.

Jumping up from the bed she automatically reached for one of the twin daggers she customarily wore at her hip, her stance defensive only to find she was both unarmed and dressed in entirely unfamiliar clothing. Twitching with annoyance she willed herself to relax when she realised her unexpected visitor was just a young Elven serving woman, currently prostrate on the floor mumbling words of apology, fearing her wrath. Breathing deeply she willed the tenseness away and spoke.

“Please, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Kneeling she reached to help the woman up only for her to flitch away, jumping to her feet, head still bowed. Slumping back into a sitting position against the bed frame in an effort to look smaller and less imposing Jenny tried to meet the woman’s gaze. “I am sorry if i scared you. Can you please tell me what happened and where i am?”

"You're in Haven, my Lady," she mumbled refusing still to look her in the eye, "They say you saved us. The Breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand. It's all anyone has talked about for the last three days!"

"Three days," Jenny murmured, rubbing her eyes. How had she been out for three days?! She looked back at the girl, wanting to ask for more information, but could see she wouldn’t get anything else from her. 

"Begging your pardon and you blessing my Lady but Lady Cassandra will want to see you right away, 'At once!' She said! She is in the Chantry with the lord chancellor. I must tell her you’ve awakened!” With that the she popped up like a jack in the box and sprinted from the room.

A dull throb began to form behind her eyes and she curled in on herself in a futile effort to keep the pain inside. Her body ached, her head thumped and her heart felt more bruised than ever before. She had spent ten bloody years running from this kind of misery, how in the hell had she ended up right back in the middle of things?! For the first time since she awoke in the cell she seriously considered running. The last time she had been swept up in fates path she had lost everything, her lover, her friends, even her body had twisted almost beyond recognition so she barely recognised herself. Would Leliana know her? Would she recognise her old friend and be pleased? Or would she be angry at her deception, maybe think her a demon after her “return from the dead”, and put her to the sword? That would maybe be kinder than living with the truth, she mulled.

Pulling herself up, she shook her head, pushing the fear inside as she had done so many times before. She would not leave, her own damm sense of honour would not allow her to leave these people when they were so desperately in need not to mention Flemeth’s words still echoed in her head; “I am not done with you yet child, is it fate or chance? I can never decide! So much about you is uncertain. Destiny awaits us both dear girl we have much to do and for that you must go on living.” Was this the moment Flemeth had referred to? The moment she finally had to pay the price for the life she was not meant to live, wanted or not. 

Finding her own clothes drying before the fire, some borrowed weapons nearby she pulled them on, suiting up for battle, feeling more like herself. She could face whatever was coming, head held high. She just hoped Lelli hadn’t seen her scars both physical and mental, maybe luck would be on her side! With that humorous thought she stepped outside ready to face what’s coming.

**Author's Note:**

> Well what do you think? Did you catch the references in the dream sequence? Any clues as to what’s going on yet? No? Me either (just kidding!) any feedback much appreciated as always! Short one to start but this felt like a good natural stopping place :) x


End file.
